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A Touch of Glass

Sea glass shards have intrigued beachcombers for decades, and
while the real thing is becoming more difficult to find, purchasing
sea glass has never been easier.

When decorating your home with the beautiful gems, first decide
if you want only genuine sea glass or if you don't mind imitation
pieces (produced with rock tumblers and acid baths). Imitation sea
glass abounds on the Web, while authentic pieces are harder to
find; however, a few sources sell it by the pound (see
"Sea
Glass Resources"). True sea glass enthusiasts can attend the
annual
North
American Sea Glass Festival in Santa Cruz, California, to find
one-of-a-kind products (
seaglassassociation.com).

Whatever the source, here are a few suggestions for displaying
these treasures of the sea.

Jars of Glass. If your collection is large, or if you have
purchased sea glass online by the pound, fill old mason jars with
the same colors of glass. One Web site, maineseaglassworks.com,
sells mason jars with both tea lights and sea glass.

Pretty Pavers. Place small bits into round concrete stepping
stones for your garden or create a mosaic backsplash in your
kitchen using lots of colorful shards. Choose one unique piece to
hang in a window and the sea glass will act like a prism.

Coastal Centerpiece. Turn your table into a conversation
piece. Fill a shallow glass bowl with large pieces of sea glass,
then place different-size pillar candles or votives throughout the
glass.

A Bright Light. Large collections look beautiful displayed
in the clear, glass base of a lamp. Pottery Barn sells empty bases
perfect for this kind of project. Add beach sand to the bottom of
the lamp base for another creative touch.

Beach Baubles. Take your sea glass to a local jeweler or
shop at
bytheseajewelry.com for
unique accessories. See below for other Web sites.

Colors of the Rainbow. Use sea glass colors to add coastal
flair to your home (see
"Feeling
Blue"). Or purchase home products such as plates and fabrics
inspired by the natural beauty of sea glass.
Vivaterra.com has sea
glass-inspired plates and lamps.